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US Army Engineer Command, Europe
US Army, Europe

Looking for more information from military/civilian personnel assigned to or associated with the U.S. Army in Germany from 1945 to 1989. If you have any stories or thoughts on the subject, please contact me.


Command History 

24th Engr Gp

32nd Engr Gp

39th Engr Gp

6970th CLG



Research Request
 
1. Information on organizational changes of US Army Engineer Command, Europe
Requester:
Webmaster
Subject: Looking for details regarding changes to the organization of USAENGCOMEUR during the late 1960s and early 1970s - e.g. inactivation of 7th Engr Bde; inactivation or return to CONUS of 32nd and 39th Engr Groups; and any other significant changes to the organization of USAENGCOMEUR or home station of subordinate units.
Contact: webmaster

2. Exact locations of HQ Engineer Districts in late 1960s
Requester:
Webmaster
Subject: Looking for the name of the installation (kaserne) where each of the US Army Engineer Districts in Germany were located in the late 1960s
. I have the city but not the installation itself.
Contact: webmaster
 
Command History
1957
(Source: Annual Historical Report, 1957-58, HQ USAREUR)
US Army Construction Agency, Germany

Effective 1 July 1957, the US Army Construction Agency, Germany, was relieved from assignment to the US Army Engineer Command, Europe, and placed under the operational control of the USAREUR Engineer Division. Its mission was to execute US Army and Air Force construction in the Federal Republic of Germany in compliance wth applicable directives and programs.


Annex "B", IG Farben Complex, Frankfurt (ca. 1959)
1966
(Source: Annual Historical Report 1966, USAREUR)
The USAREUR Engineer Command (Provisional) was organized at Frankfurt, Germany on 1 November 1966. The headquarters of the command consisted of personnel formerly assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 7th Engineer Brigade and to the USAREUR Engineer Element. By combining the two, USAREUR unified the engineer construction effort, since the provisional command supervised both troop and contract construction.

The principal missions of the new command were to exercise command and control over assigned units -- specifically the 24th, 32nd and 39th Engineer Groups -- to execute US Army and Air Force construction projects in Germany and other specified areas, and to perform real estate functions in the Federal Replublic.

On 1 December USAREUR discontinued, inactivated, redesignated, and reorganized the engineer elements involved in the activation of Headquarters and Headquaters Company, USAREUR Engineer Command. The authorized strength of the new command totaled 66 officer, 7 warrant officer, 210 enlisted, 93 Department of the Army civilian, 279 local national, and 1,094 Labor Service spaces.


US Army Engineer Districts in Germany, late 1960s ("Building For Peace")
1968
(Source: USAREUR/7th ARMY STATION LIST, 30 June 1968)
USAENGCOMEUR (P) ORGANIZATION (1968)
UNITS ORGANIC / ASSIGNED TO US ARMY ENGINEER COMMAND, EUROPE (PROV) STATION
HQ US Army Engineer Command, Europe (Provisional) I.G. Farben Bldg, Frankfurt
7th Engineer Brigade McNair Kaserne, Höchst
24th Engineer Construction Group Kleber Kaserne, Kaiserslautern
39th Engineer Construction Group Wiley Barracks, Neu Ulm
   
79th Engineer Construction Battalion Wiley Barracks, Neu Ulm
83rd Engineer Construction Battalion Wharton Barracks, Heilbronn
94th Engineer Construction Battalion Nellingen Kaserne, Nellingen
97th Engineer Construction Battalion Husterhoeh Kaserne, Pirmasens
249th Engineer Construction Battalion Gerszewski Barracks, Knielingen
293rd Engineer Construction Battalion Smith Barracks, Baumholder
370th Engineer Company (Construction Support) Kleber Kaserne, Kaiserslautern
   
US Army Engineer District, Franconia Würzburg
US Army Engineer District, Hessen Giessen
US Army Engineer District, North Baden Mannheim
US Army Engineer District, North Bavaria Nürnberg
US Army Engineer District, North Wurttemberg Stuttgart
US Army Engineer District, Palatinate Kaiserslautern
US Army Engineer District, Rhineland Bad Kreuznach
US Army Engineer District, South Bavaria Augsburg
US Army Engineer District, Taunus Frankfurt
US Army Engineer District, Vogelsberg Hanau
US Army Engineer District, Grafenwoehr US Training Center, Grafenwoehr
   
3331st Labor Service Liaison Detachment Tompkins Barracks, Schwetzingen
3336th Labor Service Liaison Detachment I.G. Farben Bldg, Frankfurt
   
6970th Civ Labor Gp Engineer Construction Battalion Rheinland Kaserne, Karlsruhe
8252nd Lab Svc Engineer Construction Company Funari Barracks, Mannheim
8361st Lab Svc Engineer Construction Company De La Marne Kaserne, Bingen
8550th Civ Labor Gp Engineer Construction Company Murphy Barracks, Ludwigsburg
8551st Civ Labor Gp Engineer Construction Company US Training Center, Grafenwoehr
8552nd Civ Labor Gp Engineer Construction Company Rheinland Kaserne, Karlsruhe
8850th Lab Svc Engineer Construction Company Daenner Kaserne, Kaiserslautern

 
1973
(Source: USAREUR/7th ARMY STATION LIST, 31 March 1973)
USAENGCOMEUR ORGANIZATION (1973)
UNITS ORGANIC / ASSIGNED TO US ARMY ENGINEER COMMAND, EUROPE STATION
HQ US Army Engineer Command, Europe I.G. Farben Bldg, Frankfurt
HQ Element, US Army Engineer Command, Europe Gibbs Kaserne, Frankfurt
24th Engineer Construction Group Kleber Kaserne, Kaiserslautern
Engineer Topographic Center Tompkins Barracks, Schwetzingen
   
79th Engineer Construction Battalion Gerszewski Barracks, Knielingen
94th Engineer Construction Battalion Ernst Ludwig Kaserne, Darmstadt
249th Engineer Construction Battalion Gerszewski Barracks, Knielingen
293rd Engineer Construction Battalion Smith Barracks, Baumholder
370th Engineer Company (Construction Support) Kleber Kaserne, Kaiserslautern
   
US Army Engineer District, Nord Bayern Merrell Barracks, Nürnberg
US Army Engineer District, Sued Bayern Reese Barracks, Augsburg
US Army Engineer District, Baden Wurttemberg Wallace Barracks, Stuttgart
US Army Engineer District, Hessen McNair Kaserne, Frankfurt
US Army Engineer District, Palatinate Pulaski Barracks, Kaiserslautern
US Army Engineer District, 7th Army Training Center US Training Center, Grafenwoehr
   
3336th Labor Service Liaison Detachment (Lübecker Strasse), Frankfurt
   
6970th Civ Labor Gp Engineer Construction Battalion Rheinland Kaserne, Karlsruhe
8252nd Lab Svc Engineer Construction Company Funari Barracks, Mannheim
8361st Lab Svc Engineer Construction Company De La Marne Kaserne, Bingen
8550th Civ Labor Gp Engineer Construction Company Grenadier Kaserne, Stuttgart
8551st Civ Labor Gp Engineer Construction Company US Training Center, Grafenwoehr
8552nd Civ Labor Gp Engineer Construction Company Rheinland Kaserne, Karlsruhe
8850th Lab Svc Engineer Construction Company Verdun Kaserne, Kaiserslautern
8404th Lab Svc Engineer Utilities Frankfurt
 

 

24th Engr Gp

39th Engr Gp

370th Engr Co

6970th CLG
If you have more information on the history or organization of the Engineer Command, Europe, please contact me.

 
(Source: USAENGCOMEUR Manual, 25 April 1969)

ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS

SECTION I - GENERAL


1. Purpose: This manual prescribes the organization and functions of the United States Army Engineer Command, Europe, and sets forth the general responsibilities of each organizational element.

2. Implementation:

a. The functions assigned to each organizational element are general in nature. Directorates, divisions, branches, district engineer elements and resident engineer offices will maintain detailed organizational charts and functional statements as required for their activities.

b. The organizational structure prescribed herein is directive in nature and changes will not be made without the prior approval of the Commanding General. Recommended changes will be submitted to the Comptroller Directorate, Management Engineering Division, which will be the coordinating activity.

c. Heads of directorates and activities directly responsible to the Commanding, General are responsible for the accuracy and current status of their organization and functional statements.

3. Mission Statement:

a. Acts as the Construction Agency for the Commander in Chief, European Command.

b. Exercises command and control over assigned units and activities.

c. Executes the US Army and Air Force Troop Construction in Europe as directed.

d. Executes US dollar funded and special peacetime construction for the US Forces in Germany and other areas as directed.

e. Supervises the activities of LS/CLG construction units.

f. Supervises and inspects NATO and other non-US-FINANCED construction programs.

g. Plans and executes the installation program in the Federal Republic of Germany for United States Army, Europe.

h. Represents the United States Army, Europe, Power Procurement Officer in all matters pertaining to the purchase and sale of utilities.

i. Performs real estate functions for USAREUR in the Federal Republic of Germany and other areas as directed.

j. Provides professional engineering and technical engineering services to US agencies operating in United States Army, Europe area of responsibility and upon request furnishes engineering advice and assistance on infrastructure projects to other NATO nations.

k. Provides materials testing service as directed.

l. Maintains the maximum degree of combat readiness.

m. Maintains capability to execute United States Army, Europe general war and contingency plans.

n. Provides a liaison officer at Headquarters, United States Army, Europe and maintains liaison on construction matters with United States Army, Europe, United States Air Force, Europe, United States Army Communications, Zone, Europe.

 

1. Org chart, HQ USAENGCOMEUR, 1969

2. Org chart, USAENGCOMEUR, 1969


 
1966
(Source: Email from Steve Jensen)
I was in the unit at the command level during the transition. I arrived in June of 66.

We originally moved from Rhein Main Air Base to Annex B which was located by the IG Farben Building. I was a glorified clerk who was responsible for getting people new MOS"s . I was not there when the Annex burnt badly in 1968. I was on leave in Spain. The fire was caused because the coffee pot never was unplugged. Im 56 yrs old and would like to here from you.

Col Robert P. Young was the CO. It was a very exiting time for an 18-year old kid to have the opportunity to work in an office and have nites and week-ends off, not to mention the fun of traveling thru out Europe and seeing places one would normally only see in books. Germany was a fantastic and most memorable experience.
Steve

1968
(Source: Email from Thomas H. Sprague)
I was assigned to the Engineer Command in early August 1968 as a young LT. Since I was in the Chemical Corps, I was the Command's only Chemical Staff Officer working out of the Operations and Training Section of the Operations Directorate. My boss was the C, O&T, another CmlC officer, CPT John Dowdy. He left for Vietnam in May 1969 and I became the C, O&T where I remained until I PCS'd in early August 1971.

The organizational structure depicted on your web site fits my recollection. The two subordinate engineer groups were the 24th (Kaiserslautern) and the 39th (Neu Ulm). Subordinate Engr Bns included the 249th (Karlsruhe), the 293rd (Baumholder), the 79th (Neu Ulm) and the 94th (Nellingen). The first two were subordinate to the 24th and the last two to the 39th. The 370th Engr Co belonged to the 24th and was located in Kaiserslautern.

The battalions were all Construction Engineer Bns. The 370th was a POL Construction Co (I think). I don't recall the numbers of the REFORGER battalions but one was located a Ft Rucker and the other at Ft Riley.

We wore the "Eschenheimer Tor" shoulder patch (the one shown at the top of the page) the entire time I was there.

Two weeks after I arrived, the Soviets invaded Czechoslovakia and it was an exciting time for us as USAREUR had just issued a new alert system and not many subordinates in theater responded to the alert as no one was very familiar with it. The Engineer Command was the first subordinate to respond to the alert message!

HQ USAENGCOMEUR occupied all of Annex B of the I.G. Farben Building. The only thing outside Annex B was HHC which was located in McNair Kaserne, Hoechst. Annex B burned down in November 1968. The fire started in my office and was not due to an unplugged coffee pot but in a bag of sawdust in a floor sander.

Annex B was rebuilt and was a very nice new facility which I imagine is still there. We were temporarily relocated to an old office building not far from the red light district near the Kaiserstrasse and the Frankfurter Messe. We were not squeezed badly and the loss of files in the fire provided lots of excuses as did the fire at the records center on Page Ave in St Louis did!

During my time there, the big deal was the restationing that occurred following the French kicking us out of France in 1966 when they partially withdrew from NATO. The US had to relocate the LOC to Bremerhaven. Things were otherwise pretty quiet. We supported the 3rd AD moving to the border when the Soviets closed the land routes to Berlin and we sent water purification to Jordan when the Palestinians fomented a civil war there in 1970.

It was a good thing that all was pretty quiet in Europe since our readiness was so poor as a result of the efforts in Vietnam. There were too few Majors & Lieutenant Colonels in theater and most of the Captains had been in the Army less that two years. I did a liaison visit to our two Reforger Bns in December 1970 and they were in even worse shape than the units in Europe!

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
My first job was to read the new USAREUR alert plan. It came in as I got to work. It was a complete overhaul with new code words. As I was completely unfamiliar with the previous system, I cannot give you a comparison. I only know it was implemented for real before it had been exercised throughout the command. Almost no one had internalized it so the response was very poor when the alert messages went out.

ENGCOM's temporary quarters were in an old multi-story office building located on the corner of Theodor-Heuss-Allee and Emil-Sulzbach-Strasse. I don't think the building is there anymore as there has been a lot of redevelopment in that part of Frankfurt.

We were there for nine months following the fire until the new Annex B was finished. The entire HQ ended up in the new Annex B which was a nice improvement over the old Annex B and the temporary location.


 
Related Links:
79th Engineer Battalion (Construction) - Bruce Christman's wonderful site dedicated to the veterans of the 79th Engineer Battalion and the memory of the 79th's accomplishments in Germany and Korea.